Advise needed, I have an 11weeks old black lab, who is really good. He is toilet trained all day, but no matter what time I feed him and take him out to toilet, 3am he wakes up to go out. I know I am lucky he makes no mess or puddles in the home, just exhausted. We are up at 6am, feeds are 6,10, 2, and 6. I have had dogs before, but this little chap is a bit tiring. Any advise would be appreciated.
Nothing worse than lack of sleep. Could you maybe move the feeds on an hour. What time do you take him out for his last toilet break before bedtime? He is only 11 weeks old so I would expect him to get up for a while
Ash my pup is 11 wks too and I'm still getting quite a few accidents during the day so you're doing very well! Night times I tend to get up between 3-4am to let him out, I normally have to wake him up, and then he goes through till about 7am unless the cat decides to visit the kitchen and stir him up first! I wouldn't expect him to be dry all night for a good few weeks yet to be honest.
Hi, Thanks so much for youre quick reply. I have tried altering meal times, doesn't seem to help. Last toilet break is 10pm as I am sleep walking by then. I shouldn't moan, as he does go when he wakes me up. He has been 9 times since 6am this morning, don't remember any of my other dogs going or waking up as much, but this is my first Labrador pup and so want to get this right.
Hi, Thanks for you're reply, Perhaps I am expecting too much, just tired which goes with the fun of new pup.
Yes I know the feeling! LOL It comes as quite a shock to the system, like having a new born baby, but thankfully they grow up much faster.
Our winter puppy needed, really needed, out twice a night at first, then once a night. Sorry to tell you but it wasn't till 4.5 months he could go through the night without needing out. The spring puppy, when it was warm out and no deep snow, she slept through the night from the get go.
11 weeks is just a baby. It's definitely not unusual to still need to get up once or twice at that age. I have a nearly 19 week old, and we still need to get up a couple of times a night. Compared to my other two, she is exceptionally slow at maturing, but it's just that - every time she wakes, she needs to toilet. I know it's tiring, but it's not the end of the world and doesn't last forever. You'll get through it and forget about it before you know it.
You'received doing really well if you only need 1 toilet break during the night with such a young puppy. As @kateincornwall says it will get better - honestly it does. Every puppy learns to go through the night as their bladder matures just like human babies but they all do it in their own time
Is he waking up to urinate or defecate? For urination I would withhold my guys water after 8pm. If it is defecation I would adjust his feeding schedule. It feels like they do this for forever but our guy is 6 months old now and I can't remember the last time he woke me up at 3am
Really? And deprive a young puppy of fluid for 10 hours or so in the hope that they don't need to pee or risk dehydration. The need to pee during the night is due to having an immature bladder and not full control overy that bladder.
From the start Harley needed to go out 3/4 times a night, excluding last wee/poo before bed and first wee/poo in the morning. It was constant work. When she was awake we watched her like a hawk and she needed to go anything from 30 min to 45 min apart, and then that would stretch a little when she was asleep. And we got her at 11 weeks. She always had access to fresh water in her baby pen. What we did notice, however, was that when she was indoors she would drink a little EVERY time she went passed the cats Drinkwell fountain and that increased her need to wee significantly. So we limited her to a bowl of water instead of the fountain and the "game" of drinking from the fountain decreased and we went back to 30 min - 45 min intervals for wees. I think she couldnt resist the temptation of running water from the spout of the fountain. The cats were horrified that she drank their water.
Have you not got an OH who could help. My OH use to do what we called the late shift and took our puppy out around 11.30/midnight and I did the early shift and got up around 5.30. Last feed at 4.30 pm and first feed at 6 am. Take heart before you know it your little one will sleep through.
DH and I would also take turns. It really does help but when I was away for work he managed alone and it was tough.
I think managing your own expectations helps a lot. My pups have all been exhausting for the first few weeks but then they slowly get into a more grown up routine - I just get them organised when they up and leave me at 12 months old! Then another baby arrives. (I'm a puppy walker for Guide Dogs, Mollie is my fourth). I don't expect to get any housework etc done in the first few weeks (the puppies are a good excuse lol) I rest when the pups rest.
Had to laugh at this - in my house the cats prefer to drink from the dog water bowl rather than their own . They have a good look and sniff and if they decide the water's not quite fresh enough (or is slobbery ) they sit in front of the bowl and shout for their human slave to come and change it
I have a 12 week old yellow Labrador that we have had for a month. I have posted under Puppy Blues about my exhaustion which I am really battling with at the moment. She is ok in the day but I am up twice at night. I have to work this out myself as she doesn't make any sound to alert me. We have an older black Labrador who came to us at 5 months and was toilet trained so I am finding this little puppy stuff very hard. The day seems endless, then no rest really at night. I struggle to return to sleep when I have been up. We are also up at 6.00 and she has 3 feeds. Sorry no advice but many people on this forum have been very kind and say it will get better.
